Deewali or Deepawali needs celebration.
Deewali is the most happening festival for the Hindus. It is such happening that it is termed as festive season in the economic market. Right from Dhanteras to Bhaiya Dhooj. In Nepal, Dewali is called Deepavali which literally means the same and is popularly known as Tihar in common language.
Tihar starts with the worship of Pitri (deceased soul) of the ancestor. They worship crow because crow is believed to be the messenger of the Pitris. Then, the dogs are worshipped in Narka chaturdashi right before the day of the Laxmi Pooja or the main day of the Deewali. The dogs are woshipped because the dogs are the vahanas of the Bhairava. The Bhairavas annihilates every sins of a human and they are prayed and worshipped for the protection. The main day Deewali is the no moon day/night i.e the no moon night and on the night of deewali extensively Goddess Laxmi is worshipped for the attainment of luxury, prosperity, abundance and wealth.
The Laxmi pooja is done at the night time when the environment is pitch black. Clay lamps are lit all around so that they can displace the darkness by light. There are certain aspects and reasons why the festival demands lighting the clay lamp and also worshipping Goddess Laxmi. There are reasons but most of them have either withered away from the souls of these generations or they have not understood the main reason for worshipping the Goddess Laxmi on Deewali night. Lets have a look for some of the reason.
Dashain or Dusshera or popularly as Navaratri is celebrated by worshipping Goddess Durga to subdue and eliminate the demonic values, attributes in us. Right after finish the navaratri and the start of another fortnight there is Deewali. In Deewali we worship Goddess Laxmi to eradicate the darkness inside us. Darkness means every form of darkness and just not material wealth. The darkness is an umbrella term here. The darkness has wide meanings like inferiority complex, laziness, Tamas, self defeating beliefs etc. Goddess Laxmi is believed to bestow the worshipper of every types of wealth and to displace every types of darkness with her own effulgent light. That is for the reason the oil lamps are lighted so as to displace the darkness. The burning of the clay lamp is one symbolic act.
There is also another aspect of burning the clay lamp. This is the most important aspect of Deewali. It is the tantric aspect. Burning the clay lamp has a tantric meaning. The clay lamps according to tantra, 52 of them have to be lit or if one wants to go to an extreme then 1000 clay lamps have to be lit. The question arises why only 52 clay lamps in general?
After the conclusion of the secretive Goddess Laxmi mantra chanting and worshipping and when all the formalities of worship is finished then the clay lamps are lit. According to tantra our body is also a Pinda and the Pinda and the Pinda and Brahmanda or the universe is the same. That is for the reason there exist darkness in the universe and the same darkness also exist in the inner universe. In the Deewali night where it is no moon, the darkness pervades everything. Similarly inside us there is darkness that pervades our consciousness and the seat of the consciousness is the Bindu which is inside our brain. Goddess Laxmi is one goddess which displaces the darkness of the universe and then she creates everything. She is the creative aspect of Lord Vishnu. Through her prowess every matter, planets and universes are created. She is the light unto herself.
With this reference, the tantric practitioner lits 52 clay lamps because our brain has 52 points. The real darkness in tantra is when none of the 52 points are active. It is through the blessings of Goddess Laxmi the tantric tries to activate all the 52 points and that is for the reason, the rigorous penances of the Goddess is done. After conclusion of the worship 52 clay lamps are lit as a symbolic representation of the activation of the 52 points of the brain. This is the tantric aspect of the whole Deewali which is very secretive and is hidden.
Therefore, Deewali is the night to displace the inner tamas and those tamas are only displaced when the 52 points of the brain are activated. That is for the reason Goddess Laxmi is worshipped and the clay lamps are lit. I am fortunate enough to have been initiated on the worship of Asta Laxmi by His Holiness Kaulantak Peethadeshwar Mahayogi Satyendra Nath ji Maharaj.
Happy Deewali to all my readers and may the Deewali bring you all the wealth in this world and displace the inner darkness. May the Goddess Laxmi activate all the 52 points in the brain of my readers and lead them to the real wealth i.e the wealth of consiousness.
Thank you.
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